About Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Baseline and monitoring activities of Critical Habitat-qualifying biodiversity of the Upper Victoria Nile

About Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Baseline and monitoring activities of Critical Habitat-qualifying biodiversity of the Upper Victoria Nile

2006 to present:

ii) bi-annual ecological monitoring has been going on and still ongoing until decommissioning

ii) to identify and describe potential/cumulative risks and impacts associated with the Bujagali Hydropower Plant (BHPP) that could affect aquatic biodiversity in the Upper Victoria Nile (UVN)

2018: The Biodiversity Consultancy (TBC) of UK carried out an evaluation of BEL’s interventions towards biodiversity conservation in BHPP Area of Influence

Specific objectives

1. Identify and characterize Critical Habitat-qualifying biodiversity- haplochromines

2. Collect ecological data (diet, habitat preference and reproductive biology) to determine species conservation status, level of scientific understanding of the species, Project and non-Project influences on haplochromines, Mormyrids and Barbines

3. Breed (spawn) the selected haplochromines, Mormyrids and Barbines for possible restocking and domestication

4. Upscale the commercial production of high value Mormyrids and Barbines to reduce dependence on the river by the population

5. Design and ensure biodiversity conservation strategies for the UVN

Outputs

1. Identified, described and vouched Haphrochromines specimens in the NaFIRRI Biodiversity museum

2. Haphrochromines genetic bar-codes made

3. The spawning (breeding) seasons for each fish species known

4. Fish Species with clear reproductive patterns are induced to spawn or bred

5. High value species such as Mormyrids and Barbines are bred in captivity and up scaled for massive multiplication

6. Strategies for conservation developed to inform policy